Graduate
/ˈɡrædʒuˌeɪt/noun
A person who has completed a course of study and received a degree or diploma.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Latin gradus, meaning “step,” which also gave English words tied to climbing, ranking, and even the idea of moving through stages of power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ghredh-
“to walk, go, step”
Latin
Latin
gradus
“step; pace; grade; rank”
Late Latin
Latin
graduare
“to divide into steps; to mark with degrees”
Middle English
English
graduate
“to mark with a degree; later, to receive an academic degree”
Modern English
English
graduate
“a person who has been awarded an academic degree”
Explore more surprising origins